Chapter 113: Icy Memories
ADRIAN’S P.O.V.
I held her hand again, feeling the warmth of her palm against mine, a stark contrast to the icy memories I was about to unveil. Juliette’s grip was firm, steadying me as much as I steadied her. Her beautiful eyes burned with curiosity, concern, and an unmistakable determination.
"From this point forward," I said softly, my voice calm but heavy with warning, "the images you’ll see are going to be... dark. They won’t be easy to witness, Juliette. Prepare yourself; and if you need to stop, just say the word."
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her fiery spirit shining through even in her silence. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Show me, Adrian. I want to understand everything."
I studied her face for a moment longer, my mate, my fierce warrior, and my reason for hope. "You’re way stronger than I gave you credit for, Juliette."
She rolled her eyes at my charm, but I saw the faint twitch of her lips. That was enough for me. I closed my eyes, and she did the same. Darkness enveloped us like a suffocating shroud, and when we opened our eyes, we stood in a damp, cold cell.
The stench of decay and despair assaulted us immediately. Water dripped somewhere in the distance, the sound a cruel reminder of time passing too slowly. Rows of cells stretched endlessly, each one occupied by huddled, broken figures—men and women—some barely older than children.. Their faces were hollow, eyes wide with terror. Some clung to the bars, their fingers skeletal, while others sat huddled in corners, shivering from the cold or their despair.
Young Adrian was one of them.
He sat in a filthy corner, knees pulled to his chest, his head buried in his arms. His body trembled as he fought the cold that seeped through the stones and into his bones. Tears streaked his dirt-covered face, and every so often, his shoulders shook with silent sobs. I watched him as though he were a stranger, my heart clenching despite the centuries that separated us.